For the Love of a Girl
by Lovelyfairy18
Summary: Draco understands his place. Yet, he finds himself craving her touch, her warmth, her love. He's slowly losing it. He's torn between two things, love and responsibility. One night, he's surprised to find her crying, and becomes her shelter when she needed it most. The fire is there between them, but will he be able to let go of her so easily now? He's not the man she loves..
1. Chapter 1

Draco knew that he wouldn't be able to concentrate with her in his class. He hated her. He hated how she made him feel. She confused him, and it was enough to drive any sane man crazy.

After class, he was the first one out the door, not bothering to wait for Crabbe nor Goyle. He walked down the cold corridors that lead to the Slytherin common room, mumbling under his breath.

He slammed the door to his room, thankful for the single dorm his parents had rented out for him. He didn't want company; he didn't need to hear any complaints about what the Gryffindors were up to.

He dumped his bag on the floor and threw his wand on his bed. His owl, Arknas was sitting on the windowsill, a letter attached to his leg. He went over, untied the string that kept the letter in place, and watched as his owl turned away and flew off.

"It's most likely that blood-traitor," he said, opening up the parchment.

_Dearest Draco, _

_It's unfortunate to hear that you are miserable at Hogwarts. I know how hard it is to feel out of place, and the pressure of being the son of the Malfoys isn't easy. _

_I have been well, living here in the States with my husband and our two daughters. I'm glad we never stopped communicating. I feared that as you got older you would resent me, just like our parents did. _

_ I want you to know that things don't have to be the way they think it is. When I got placed at Hogwarts the hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw, but I begged the hat to place me in Slytherin, for the sake of the family. Isn't that the same thing it did with you? You belonged in Gryffindor, but you did the same thing I did, and have carried a grudge against the house out of your own pain._

_ Try to have fun on your 17__th__ birthday Draco. I have enclosed some money- I know you don't need it, but maybe there is someone you can spend it on. A girl? Don't make the same mistake our people have made. It's a new era. Learn to love. _

_I hope to hear back from you,_

_Your sister, _

_Louella _

Draco sat on his bed, regretting that he had ever let Louella in so much. She knew him better than he knew himself. He had grown resentment towards her when she married a muggle, and left him alone at home.

But she never stopped writing him. Even after the countless ignored owls, she kept writing, so one day he responded and he had never felt more at ease.

He grabbed his quill and ripped out a piece of parchment from his notebook that still contained notes on it. He shrugged and began writing on the wooden floor.

_Louella, you silly woman._

_For you to say I am jealous of the stupid Red and Gold house is mad. _

_But you do make a point. _

_I envy everything about the other kids. I want to leave this country. Take me with you. _

_As for my birthday, I really don't care for it. Just another year closer before I'm wed off to some stupid pureblood family. I don't have the strength to do what you did. _

_And I don't want to. I am a Malfoy and a Malfoy I shall stay._

_As for the girl, you know who it is. This is madness. I do everything in my power to get that person out of my head. It hurts even thinking about it. I'm at lost at what to do._

_Your brother,_

_Draco_


	2. Chapter 2

"What has been up with you lately?" asked Alex, as she jumped up and down his lap. They were in his dorm, her tan naked body over his. He pulled her dark brown hair back, exposing her neck. She gasped as he ran his tongue furiously down her chest, craving his release.

At last he pushed her off him, coming onto the wooden floor. When he was done, he looked up at her, a frown on her face.

"You could have warned me." she said, rubbing the side of her thighs.

"Get out." he said softly, feeling tired.

"You are a bitch, you know that?" she stated, standing up. She grabbed her uniform off the bed and began to dress.

"And you're a whore." he responded, zipping up his pants.

"That's not the first time you've said that." she said, waving the comment away. "I'm use to your disrespectful mouth."

"Alex, I don't need this right now. We both know that we fuck and that's that. No comments made, no strings attached. So, please, walk out now." He told her, pointing to the door.

"I don't know why I bother," she mumbled, picking up her shoes and walking out the room barefoot.

"I don't know either," he said, throwing himself on his bed. He lay there, his head in the pillows. It was one thing to have lost the game against Gryffindor, but it was another to have lost to _Weasley._

And she was there, watching the whole game. Her eyes weren't fixed on him, no. She watched the red-head as he saved goal after goal, with that stupid grin on his face. If he could, he would have slammed a budger on his face and have been done with it.

He smiled, imagining the scene in his head.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, waking suddenly. He looked over at his clock. It was half past midnight. He had promised Louella he was going to call her for his birthday at midnight.

He quietly left the Slytherin common room, careful to not run into anyone. If they had found him talking to a blood traitor, his father was sure to find out.

The halls were quiet, his shoes echoing against the wall. The portraits all seemed to be asleep.

As he made his way to the charms classroom, he heard a cry come from within the room.

"Hermione?"

He heard footsteps coming his way. He looked around to see where he could hide and he threw himself behind a large vase, hoping they hadn't seen him.

"Hermione? It's me," He heard Harry's voice.

He peeked around the vase, seeing Harry go into the classroom. What were they doing out so late? He couldn't hear anything after that.

_Great, now I have to wait here until they leave, _he thought. He couldn't risk running away; they could catch him in mid run. He looked around and sighed, knowing that it was going to be a long night.

He heard another set of footsteps, and this time he saw Weasley and Brown walking towards the classroom, hand in hand. Ron had lipstick marks all over his face. He stopped, pushed Brown towards him, and started to make out, right in the middle of the hallway. He cupped her breasts, Brown running her hands through his hair.

"Let's get in the classroom first." She said, out of breath. Ron nodded.

Draco watched as the pair walked into the classroom. _This isn't going to be good.. _

In a few seconds, the pair came out of the classroom, covering their heads as little yellow birds pecked at them. They ran down the hall and out of sight. Granger appeared at the doorway, her face red from crying. Harry had his arm around her, and whispered something in her ear. She nodded, hugged him and walked in the opposite direction. Harry watched her leave and then headed back in the direction he had come from. Draco waited a second before emerging. What had happened?

He looked at his watch. It was almost one in the morning. There was no point in trying to call Louella now. He'll just have to send her an owl in the morning.

He got away from the vase, looking down the corridor that Hermione had walked down. He found his feet moving in that direction. Surprisingly, he obeyed, walking after her.

It wasn't hard to find her. He heard her crying from inside the girls' bathroom. He hesitated, not knowing what to do. Something was troubling her, and he felt the need to comfort her.

He looked around, making sure the coast was clear before pushing the bathroom door open.


	3. Chapter 3

She splashed the cold water on her face, sniffling. Her reflection looked awful. Her eyes were puffy, red and swollen from all the tears.

She didn't think it would affect her like it did, seeing Ron with Lavender. She had made herself believe all these 6 years that she didn't fancy Ron.

She heard the door to the bathroom close. She spun around, wand in her hand.

"Whose there?" she asked, pointing at the dark shadow in front of the door. Draco Malfoy stepped out, hands in the air.

"Don't hex me, mudblood." He said, frowning.

"What do _you_ want Malfoy?" she asked, surprised he was there. She didn't lower her wand.

"I heard noises coming from the bathroom, thought I'd check it out. Since it's just you I'll be on my way then." He turned to leave.

"Wait," she said, lowering her wand. She wiped her left eye with her sleeve. "Why are you out in the hall?"

"That's none of your concern." He stated, over his shoulder. He opened the door to the bathroom and stopped. "Ron's stupid. He's with her for lust, nothing more." And then he walked out.

Hermione stood there, not understanding what had just happened. Had Malfoy seen Ron and Lavender together?

She waved her bangs away from her face and took a deep breath. It was nice that Malfoy had wanted to check up on her. Strange, but nice.

As she walked out, she looked for him in the hall but he was no where to be seen.


	4. Chapter 4

It was dark when his clock went off. He looked at the time. Seven on the dot. He rubbed his head, tired from the long night. He had stayed up late with his sister, and before he knew it he had only an hour to get some sleep.

He bathed, put on his clean robes and headed out the door, his black bag over his shoulder. No one spoke to him or made eye contact with him. He was fine with it. He grabbed his pointed hat and placed it over his head, shielding his vision from the rest of the world. Today was the day he would meet the woman he would be marrying after graduation, another pureblood, who also went to Hogwarts but their paths never crossed.

It was a chilly day as he stepped out of the grounds. Many students were still in bed. His father's dark cloak could be seen at the end of the bridge, his hands in his pocket, his long silver hair blowing behind him.

"Good morning, father." He said, nodding.

"I hope you are prepared to make the Malfoy's look good. Her family is royalty, Draco. Understand?" he said, patting him on the back. The last thing Draco saw was his dad's cold, grey eyes before everything went black. When he opened them, he saw the long white table, filled with breakfast delights. His mother sat on one end of the table, talking to a fair blond woman, with a pointy nose and long chin. A man sat at the end of the table, chatting away with what looked like the butler. And next to him was a girl Draco had seen before.

She was a fifth year, a girl in his house who always sat in the common room, surrounded by giggling girls. She had silky long blond hair and a thin frame, with the exact pointy nose as her mother. It took everything in his power to bow down to her and smile.

"So this is Draco," her father said as he stood up to shake his hand. "A handsome fellow, right you are."

"I'm Eloise." She said, batting her eyelashes. Draco felt like his face was about to crack in half with the amount of force he was putting into his smile.

"Sit down, sit down, let's have breakfast and talk about the future couple!" Her father said. Malfoy sighed, hating that he would be spending his birthday with these idiots.

As he ate his bowl of fruits, he couldn't help but feel Eloise's eyes on him. It was irritating. She was sitting next to him, while the parents sat across from them, engaged in their conversation about how the wizarding world was going to the dogs.

"I've been telling my wife we should leave England. Too many mudbloods popping out all over the place. I heard Russia doesn't have any." Elosie's father said and his dad nodded. His dad looked just as uneasy as Draco felt. These people were pureblood's all right, but not the kind their family usually interacted with.

_It's always about the money and status, _he thought to himself as he took another bite of the apple.

_ FUCK!_

He dropped his fork on the table, making all eyes stare at him. Eloise was turning red and he could feel his face grow hot.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking down at his bowl. "I need some fresh air."

"It's okay lad, Eloise take him to the grounds, show him around his future home." Her dad said, waving them away. Draco saw the glare his father gave him. That glare meant, "don't fuck things up."

Draco bowed and followed the girl out of the hall. He looked at his watch. It was barely nine in the morning. What we she thinking?

They walked down several hallways, until they ended up at a small corner that led to the grounds. He could see a huge lake near by, and he felt the chill as she opened the large glass doors. She leaned against it, her dark yellow dress blowing in the wind.

"Why the fuck did you do that for?" he asked her, now that they were away from their parents.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, smiling.

"You touched me, that's what. Under the table." He said, remembering her touch.

"Oh, that." She said, stepping in front of him. "I've been waiting a long time for that."

"Are you mad?" he asked her, looking down at her green eyes. She was smirking.

"No, you're going to be my husband after all." She said, placing her hand on his cheek. He pushed it away.

"Don't ever touch me. Are you a whore? Is that how you introduce yourself?" he said angrily. "Am I marrying a slut?"

She laughed and shook her head. "No, darling, you're marrying me. And I know it's your birthday. Let me give you something to enjoy about today. Heaven knows this breakfast thing was a bore."

"You're crazy."

She laughed. "But you liked it. I'm going to be up front with you Malfoy. I have kept myself pure, just for my husband, and now that I know it's going to be you there's no point in trying to sustain my urges any longer."

He walked away from her, meaning to go back when she grabbed his hand and pulled him back, kissing him. With the hand she had grabbed she firmly put it against her blouse, and he could feel the heat radiating from it.

"Check, see if I'm lying." She said in between kisses. He didn't know what had gotten a hold of him. He placed a finger inside her and felt her, tight and soft. She moaned as he continued to find her.

"You're a bitch." He said, pushing her against the wall. He let go of her and she stood there, her legs shaking.

He fixed his robes and walked away. What a way to start his 17th birthday.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione sat near the lake, doodling away on her parchment. She had come out to start on her homework, but couldn't seem to focus.

Last night had been hard on her. She had been crying all night, all for Ron, who had no clue that she was in love with him. How could he be so mean? So blind?

She found herself scribbling his name, only to scratch it out in anger.

"Hermione?"

She turned quickly, startled. Ron stood behind her, his hands in his pocket. His nose was red, as were his ears.

She felt her face go hot, and she closed her book shut, which had contained the countless scribbles she had made.

"Can I help you, Ronald?" she managed to say, hearing her pulse drum against her ear as her heart continued to beat rapidly.

He shuffled around before taking a seat next to her. She wanted to run and leave. This was making her feel uncomfortable.

"What was all that last night?" he asked, looking out into the lake. She turned to see him, a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said quickly.

"Come off it, Hermione. You attacked me and Lavender." He said, looking at her with his blue eyes. She felt her tears building up as she remembered he had chose Lavender over her.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be with her snogging somewhere?" she remarked, bitterly. He groaned, making to leave.

"You're so difficult to talk to. I don't know why I even bothered." He said, standing up. She stared down at her book, feeling the tears drop off her nose. She wasn't going to look at him or give him any response.

He stood there, staring at her for a moment, before walking away. She felt as her heart had been torn open from her chest, the cold air making it hard to take a deep breath. She grabbed her things and stuffed them in her bag, sniffling.

"Idiotic excuse for a man," she mumbled to herself as she walked back toward the castle, her hair blowing in all directions. She passed a group of 7th years who were smoking by the Herbology Green houses, all staring at her as she walked by.

_They're probably laughing at me, _she thought, which made her more angry. She walked faster into the building, bumping into someone.

"Watch it," he said, as she dropped her things to the floor.

"Sorry, about that." She said, not bothering to look up. She picked up her things, her textbook having fallen out of her bag.

"Crying again Granger?" he asked. Malfoy was standing over her, holding her book in his hand.

"None, of your business, Malfoy" she said, snatching it away from him. "Last thing I need is more taunts from you."

"I'm not here to taunt anyone today, Granger." He said, taking off his hat. "And you're welcome."

She stood there, not knowing what to say to him. He didn't look like he was out to make fun of her. He looked tired.

"Why are you going through this way? Don't you know these halls lead to the dungeons?" he asked.

"I didn't know where I was going. I just walked." She said, looking down on the floor. "Why are you here, then?"

"I was on my way outside. I need a drink." He said, walking past her. "By the way, I really don't recommend you go down that way. It's dark, and you won't like what you see."

He left, closing the door behind him. The candles lit the already dark halls slightly, giving them an eerie feel.

_Maybe he's right, I should just turn around._

She heard a sound. Giggling, from the far end of the hall.

_It's not him. _

She felt her footsteps walking slowly towards the direction of the noise, each step making her heart race even more. She clutched to her bag tightly, afraid of what was waiting for her.

She felt someone grab her hand, and she turned around, his finger to his mouth, signaling her not to make a sound. He leaned in closer, so that his mouth was against her ear.

"I told you not to go down here, didn't I?" he whispered. She felt the hair on her neck stand up.

"I don't take order from you." She whispered back, breaking her arm loose from his grip. She walked toward the sound, making a sharp corner turn when there, in the dead end of the hallway was Ron and Lavender, her blouse open and on her knees. His scarf was on the ground revealing the hickies that stood out, his face in shock. Lavender smiled, while Ron fumbled to fix his pants.

Hermione dropped her bag, and surprisingly, no tears came. She stood there, shocked at everything that was happening.

"Hermione- what are you doing here?" Ron asked, his face red.

"Can't even find a room to go to Weasley?"

Draco had joined her side, staring at both students, his arms crossed.

"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron asked, throwing his cloak on.

Lavender quickly got up, buttoning her shirt.

"I'm with her. You and your slut better find a new place to fuck around before I report you." He said, taking Hermione's hand and leading her away. To his surprise she didn't refuse.

"What the- where are you going with her?" Ron yelled, walking up to them.

"Leave me alone." Hermione said to him, her face expressionless.

He watched as they both left, Draco leading her out.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione didn't know how to react, or what to say. She walked out with Malfoy, her hand still in his. A group of students stopped talking and gawked at them as they crossed the field, out towards the lake.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, still leading her. She nodded, not able to understand what had just happened.

He turned around to face her, his eyebrows slightly raised. His grey eyes reflected her blank expressionless face, and she looked away, the weight finally hitting her hard on her chest. She took a deep breath and felt the tears come down, falling down to her knees. She hid her face behind her hands, her bushy brown hair covering her, protecting her from everything around her.

Malfoy placed his hands in his pocket, unaware of what to do. He had never had to comfort anyone, let alone someone like Granger.

A mudblood.

What would his parents think? What would anyone think if they saw him with her?

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Um, Hermione-"

She continued crying. He made to reach out for her, but stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

"HERMIONE!"

They both looked up to see Ron, storming up towards them, his face red. Hermione quickly got up, and ran off, leaving her bag behind.

"What the bloody hell-" Ron swore, stopping a few feet away from him. Malfoy watched him, smirking.

"You think she's going to want to talk to you now, traitor?" He sneered, loving to get a reaction from him.

"Fuck off, Malfoy." Ron said, his hand firmly around his wand. "I don't want to hear anything from you."

"Of course, you wouldn't. You're pathetic, Ron. Blind to see what you have in front of you for some five minutes of physical pleasure. Do us all a favor and walk into the forbidden forest why don't you? And STAY there." Malfoy said, grabbing Hermione's bag.

"Hey- hey what are you doing with her bag?" Ron asked, his face red. "Give it to me."

"I am pretty sure she doesn't want to see you." Malfoy said, walking away. All of a sudden he felt something push him down, face first into the ground.

"Argh-" he groaned, feeling the sting where the hex had hit him.

"You give me the bag right now-" Ron said through gritted teeth. He had his wand pointed at Malfoy's chest.

"You will do NO such thing." Hermione said. Malfoy looked up to see her standing near him, her eyes red from crying. She had her wand pointed at Ron. "Leave him alone, Ronald."

Ron looked as if he had been slapped in the face. He lowered his wand and stared at her, frowning.

"What has gotten into you Hermione?" Ron asked. Malfoy fumbled around, getting back on his feet. Whatever curse Ron had used, he was certainly feeling it.

"Get back to Lavender, Ron and leave me alone." She said, not lowering her wand.

"But I don't understand, Hermione! Why have you been different with me? What did I do?" Ron yelled.

"You asked Lavender to be your girlfriend! That's WHAT!" she yelled. Malfoy could see her eyes beginning to water again.

"What does she have to do with this?" Ron asked, shaking his head.

"Oh COME OFF IT!" Malfoy yelled, frustrated at Ron's stupidity. "SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU FUCKING MORON!"

Ron stared at Malfoy, his mouth hanging open. Hermione gasped, dropping her wand. Malfoy went over to her and pushed her bag against her chest.

"Here's your bag. Next time, tell him how you feel BEFORE he ends up with someone else." He fixed his cloak and walked away, regretting ever putting himself in this situation.


	7. Chapter 7

Malfoy stood by the bridge, hearing the thunder in the distance. The chilly wind blew around him, causing him to rearrange his scarf so that it covered every part of his neck. He watched as his owl left, carrying Louella's letter. He needed to talk to her. He needed her intake on the situation.

_You'll just ignore her again, like you always do when she tells you to give in to your feelings.. _he thought, and shook his head.

When had he started liking her? He couldn't even remember.

He liked that she was different. She was smart. She didn't follow stupid trends like all the girls he knew. And she didn't throw herself onto him. She challenged him. Weird as it was to say, he probably knew he was in love with her when she punch him in the face their third year. Yeah, he was angry, but something about her touch that time made him remember the way it felt to care for someone, to do everything at all costs to protect them. And that's what she was doing. Not for him, though. But for _him. _

He heard the owls screech as the lighting hit the sky, illuminating everything for miles. He gripped the edge of the bridge, feeling the small droplets of water hit his palm. He looked down, taking in the majestic view of Hogwarts. He never admired it, but today, with the various bridges and towers leading into the great castle, he couldn't help but smile. As much as he hated being here, it was the only place he felt safe, away from his family. Away from the _orders._

The rules.

People believed that he was a spoilt rich kid, having nothing to worry about. Being a Malfoy, people already coward at his name alone, without bothering to give him a chance to show him who Draco was. Not Malfoy. Malfoy was his father. His grandfather. He was Draco.

The rain begun to come down stronger now, and the owls began to get restless. They flew around, hooting as the thunder clapped against the night sky. The sleeves of his cloak were wet, but he didn't mind. He wanted to stay up there, alone, where no one could bother him. He had no one to talk to really. He could hear the tapping of the droplets as they hit the edge of the stone bridge, and it brought him peace. He closed his eyes, taking in everything. The sounds of the rain. The wind. The thunder.

"Hey,"

His eyes shot open, his heart beating fast as it recognized the voice before his mind could process whom it was. He turned to look at her, standing with her curly brown hair in a pony tail, her nose red from the cold. Her hands were holding her wand tightly, and she wasn't wearing her outdoor cloak.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his hands still gripping the side of the bridge.

"I came to send off a letter, and I saw you standing there," Said Hermione, glancing at his hands. "You're soaked."

"And it's none of your concern. If you will, can you leave now?" he stated, turning away from her. "I'd like to spend the remaining hours of my birthday in peace. Drama free."

"It's your birthday?" she said quickly, and he could feel her stare on him. "I'm sorry about today. I wanted to thank you, for being there. It was foolish of me not to listen."

"Yeah." He said, feeling his chest tighten.

"Well, happy birthday, Malfoy." Said Hermione. He turned to see her walk away, back into the tower.

"Thank you. I'm sorry about Weasley." He found himself saying. He was shocked at his own response. Hermione turned around, a confused look on her face as if she were thinking the same thing. He let go of the bridge and found that his hands were numb from gripping the sides too hard. "Shit."

"Here," Hermione said, walking over to him. She pointed her wand gently above his knuckles and he felt a warm tingly feeling travel down his fingers and wrist. He was getting his feeling back. "I figured that your hands got numb from the rain and it doesn't help that it's cold either. There you go."

He felt himself gasp softly as Hermione touched his hands to see if they were warm. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He looked down at her, never being this close to her without fighting. Being able to admire her features from up close, without having to throw an insult to hide the fact that he cared about her. Her eyelashes were so long, covering her dark brown eyes nicely, framing her face. Her nose was pointy, but not big. Not like Eloise. Her lips were full and pink.

"You're so beautiful." He said softly, unaware that he was leaning down towards her.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?"

He snapped back into his senses. What had just happen? Hermione was looking up at him, frowning slightly. She had her wand pointed at his chest, her cheeks turning red. He rolled his eyes, and sighed. Had he almost tried to kiss her?

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened." He said, feeling his face get hot. Was he blushing too?

"I should go." She said, and turned around, walking quickly away from him.

He didn't want her to leave.

_ Fuck it,_ he thought, running after her. She squealed as he grabbed her by the waist and turned her around. His lips found hers, and he felt her fists hit him against the chest, but he didn't stop. His hand found her back, and slowly her lips were moving against his, as if they wanted him as much as he wanted her. He liked how she felt against him; his body covered with goose bumps as her hands found his neck, caressing him like no girl has done before.

Her touch felt different. It made every single cell in his body come alive. He felt her tongue on his, and he lowered his hands down to her bottom, amazed at how perky it was. It was hard to notice it behind the large skirts the girls were required to wear at school. He felt her gasp under her breath and he broke their kiss and looked down at her. Her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily.

She jumped up at him and wrapped her arms around him, her lips on his, kissing him with more intensity than the first time. He picked her up, surprised at how much heavier she was than he had imagined. She swung her legs around his torso and he led her back to the bridge where the rain had picked up. The thunder was louder than ever and in minutes they were both soaking wet. He steadied her against a column on the middle of the bridge. He felt her shake as he found her neck, kissing it softly. She moaned, her nails digging into his back. He let her down and his hands lifted her skirt up, feeling her soft legs. He gripped one and wrapped it back around him, making her stand on her left foot.

He kissed her again, feeling the rain as the wind blew it in their direction. He cupped her breast and felt himself groan, wanting her. His left hand moved down, feeling her warm part behind her panties. He expected her to stop him but when she didn't he snuck a finger in and found himself wanting more.

He pushed against her and he heard her moan louder, her hands finding his pants. He stared at her, her curly brown hair coming out of the ponytail, sticking to the sides of her face. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks pink from the tension. He loved how she looked. He leaned in to kiss her, and placed two fingers inside her, making her gasp. He wanted her to find her release.

He moved quickly, opening her legs apart and bending down on his knees.

"Wha- what are you doing?" Hermione asked, her words forced. She was panting.

He didn't say anything, but slid her panties down and admired her area. He couldn't believe he was doing this with her. Many times he had imagined it, but now it was in his face. Literally.

"No! Not that!" Hermione gasped, putting her arms in the way. He smiled up at her and moved her hands away. He heard moan.

He had found her, tasting a woman for the first time. His tongue moved rapidly, and he could feel her thrusting against him. He placed his fingers back inside and in moments he heard Hermione scream, her hands pulling at his hair. He continued to lick her, feeling her legs shake beside him.

"Draco, Draco- I'm done," she panted.

He felt his heart jolt. She had called him Draco. He stood up, pulling her panties up as well. He stared down at her, her face red and exhausted. He had never seen her look more beautiful.

"I can't believe we did that." She said, through heavy breaths.

He caressed her cheek, and leaned in to kiss her one more time.

"Thank you, for the best birthday I could have asked for." He whispered in her ear. "C'mon, I don't want you to get sick."

She took his hand and he led her away from the bridge, back into the tower.


	8. Chapter 8

He sat on the bench, feeling uneasy. Her kisses were annoying him. He had too much to think about.

"Won, Won, what's wrong?" she moaned, nudging him on the neck. He looked down at her, without moving. Her face was red, obviously frustrated with him. "Did I do something?"

His gaze went back to the wall, remembering the events of that afternoon. Malfoy had said that Hermione loved him. Was he blind to not see it all along?

"Won,"

"Not now, Lavender," he said irritably, pushing her aside. "I am not in the mood."

"What has gotten into you?" she lashed out, crossing her arms.

"I'm just not in the mood, okay?" he said firmly. He stood up, making to leave.

"Don't go." Lavender pleaded, grabbing on to his arm. He sighed.

At the moment they both turned around to the sound of something dripping, followed by squishy footsteps, leading in their direction. Hermione turned the corner, drenched. She was gazing down at the floor, unaware of their presence.

"She looks a mess." Lavender commented. Ron could hear a small giggle escape Lavenders lips.

"Oh!" Hermione looked up, startled. She looked flushed, her curly hair falling in long strands in front of her eyes. He noticed her scarf was hanging loose against her white shirt, revealing the light pink bra underneath. One sock was down to her ankles while the other one was still up by her knee, which caught Ron as strange. "Um, sorry. I'll just get going."

Ron watched her sprint quickly by them, without making eye contact with either of them. He frowned.

"I think our little Hermione was up to something." Lavender smirked. Ron watched Hermione as she ran down the hall and turned into the corner.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice her clothes. And gah her face gave her away." Lavender rolled her eyes, and began leading him away in the opposite direction.

Ron felt his feet move, his mind working furiously. What did Lavender mean? Why had Hermione been out so late anyways?

His mind quickly switched to the scene of Hermione standing in front him, drenched. Her boobs were basically popping out of her shirt, the water dripping down from them. He had never seen her face so flushed, her lips so plump and swollen. He felt his body become aroused.

He focused his attention back on his surroundings and found that they had somehow made it into a utility closet. Lavender pushed against him, making him groan. He blinked and saw Hermione standing in the place where Lavender should have been. She was smiling at him, taking her shirt off. He shook his head and Lavender came back, getting down on her knees.

He closed his eyes and felt her lips on his part. The room felt as if it was spinning and again, he saw Hermione down on him, instead of Lavender. Her face was pink, her curly hair falling in ringlets down her face. Ron gasped.

He pushed Lavender off him and quickly buckled his pants back up. His heart was racing as he opened the closet door and ran down the hall, in the direction Hermione had gone.

_She wouldn't, would she? _He thought.

He couldn't find her. Where could she have gone?

He stepped into the common room, which was silent. He heard his shoes squeak against the wooden floor and looked down to find a puddle of water where he stood.

"Of course!" he said to himself as he took out his wand and lit it, following the water trail that Hermione had left behind. He passed by a small hallway and placed his wand against the Gryffindor crest, revealing the secret passageway into the Prefect bathroom. The hallway was made of entirely glass, reflecting the storm outside. He put his wand back into his robes and slowly opened the door.

* * *

><p>Hermione stood in front of the mirror, tears falling down her face. What had she done? She ran her finger down her neck, past the hickies that now appeared near her collarbone.<p>

She had made out with Draco.

She knelt down, feeling the weight of her guilt consuming her. Ron's face came into her mind, and she cried even louder.

_You're no better than Ron, _she thought, looking up at her reflection again.

But she couldn't deny her body's feelings. Her legs still trembled from his touch, her breasts perky by just remembering his tongue. He hadn't come in her, and yet he had made her body feel alive. She hated to admit it to herself, but she wanted more. Her body asked for more.

"That can't happen," she said softly, her reflection panting in the mirror. She stood up and walked over to the pool size tub, which was bubbling now, the water warm. She jumped in, feeling the water around her, calming her. She had never felt so aroused, or wanted.

_ "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with me." Draco told her, letting go of her hand. She looked up at him, never noticing his strong jaw line, his handsome face._

_ "This isn't going to happen again," she said firmly, her body still shaken. He half smiled at her, running his hands down his drenched hair. Her body still longed for his touch. _

_ "It won't. Believe me. We were just in the moment of things. That's all." Draco said, planting a kiss on her cheek. That gesture caught her off guard. "Unless you want me to take you. No one has to know."_

_ He had whispered that into her ear, making her body tingle. He walked away, leaving her standing, confused. _

She broke the surface of the water, gasping for air. How long had she been under? She coughed, feeling the water leave her lungs.

"HERMIONE!"

She heard a splash and she closed her eyes, feeling her head go dizzy.

"Hermione! You okay?"

She coughed again and felt his arms around her, gripping her tight. Ron's freckled face appeared in front of her, his face worried. She nodded, letting out a huge cough before collecting herself.

"What were you doing?!" he asked alarmed. "You could have drowned in the damn tub!"

"I'm fine, really.." she said in between coughs. "What are you doing here?"

Ron didn't say anything but stared at her, his eyes examining all parts of her face. She felt his hand caress her naked back underneath the water. It made her uncomfortable.

"Uh, Ron, could you please let go of me." She prompted looking away.

"Hermione, what is that?"

She turned to look at him, alarmed. He was staring at her exposed neck, the hickies Draco had left earlier out in the open. He let go of her, stepping back.

"It's nothing!" she said quickly, turning her back towards him. "Leave now, Ron."

"What the fuck were you doing, Hermione?" Ron asked. She could hear the tremble in his voice. She closed her eyes, feeling her warm tears collecting behind them. "HERMIONE!"

"I said nothing okay?" she stated, trying to make her voice sound forceful.

"Look at me!" Ron yelled at her. She felt him grab her and push her against the side of the tub. His school uniform was all wet, sticking to his body like glue. She could see every defined muscle under his white shirt.

"Ow- Ron. Stop." She said, feeling her body react to his touch. "Get off me."

"Who were you snogging with?!" he yelled, looking down at her neck.

"Why do YOU care?" she yelled, pushing his hands off her. "I don't ask you what you do with Lavender every fucking day!"

"You know exactly what we do. We FUCK that's what. Now what the bloody hell were you doing?!" he yelled, his face turning red. She could see the tears building up in his eyes.

"You are a prick, Ron." She said, turning around and pulling herself out of the tub, not caring that her naked body was exposed for him to see. How many times could she cry in one day? And all for Ron too?

She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her. She picked up her things and walked out of the bathroom.


	9. Chapter 9

Draco woke up to the sound of a large white owl chirping, a letter in his large claws. His throat hurt and as he rolled off the bed he noticed the clothes from last night were still on him, his bed drenched.

Had it been a dream?

He yawned, taking the cloak off, a task harder than he realized. It was stuck to his body, wet and heavy. The large owl still chirped, eager to come into the room.

"Bloody bird," he cursed, walking over to the window, half his cloak still on. He hesitated before opening it, noticing the dark black envelope that could only be from no other than his father. He opened the window, snatched the envelope from the birds claws, ripping a portion of it in the process. He didn't care. Before the bird could fly off he slammed the window shut and dropped the envelope down to the floor.

What could his dad possibly want?

He looked at his clock, which showed it to be half past 7. Classes were in an hour. There was no use in going back to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Where were you all day yesterday?" asked Goyle as Draco took a seat between him and Crabbe.<p>

"Yeah, we couldn't find you anywhere." Muttered Crabbe, scraps of his breakfast falling against his chin.

"I had things to do. You know, family matters," he stated, reaching over for the toast. "Why?"

"You know, the thing we are supposed to be doing, something came up." Crabbe said, leaning closer to him. "There was a meeting last night."

Draco sighed, clearly annoyed. "I'm sure my father handled that matter."

Crabbe shrugged and went back to eating his breakfast. Draco looked over at the Gryffindor table but only saw Harry and Ron eating breakfast. Hermione wasn't anywhere to be found. This struck him as odd.

Last night had been the best day of his life. He had never felt so much passion for one girl, and the desire to see her again was lodged in his chest. He was never more excited to get to potions that morning. He bit into his toast and looked up to see Eloise, a letter in her hand.

"Hello, fiancé," she said, patting his shoulder. He brushed her off, spitting out his toast.

"Don't fucking call me that," he said, looking around to see if anyone had heard. Crabbe and Goyle already knew, but he didn't want anyone else to know about his arranged marriage, even though for the Slytherin house, arranged marriages seemed to be the norm. Purebloods didn't want to marry muggles, mudbloods or worse, blood traitors. "What do you want?"

"You are funny," she said, rolling her eyes. "I was wondering if you got the letter your dad sent this morning. He clearly wrote on mine to check if you had opened it because he knew you might just discard it."

"He sent you one too? Why is my father writing you?" he asked, and noticed people were looking at him now. "Come on, let's talk about this outside."

He got up, throwing his bag over his shoulder. Eloise followed him, bumping into some students as she walked behind him, trying to catch up to his pace. Draco stopped at the entrance to the hall, having spotted Hermione walking in, her expression gloom.

She walked past him, her eyes meeting his for a second. She blushed and continued to walk, making no motion that she recognized him. He looked over his shoulder at her, watching as she sat next to some girl, not her usual Potter or Weasley.

"Is she a friend of yours?" Eloise asked, breaking his focus. He shook his head and walked out of the hall, towards the east wing. "She's cute."

"Please, can you not." Draco said, irritated.

"What? I like girls too." She said and bumped into him, not noticing that he had stopped walking.

"What do you mean you like girls too?" he asked her, his eyebrow raised.

"I've had a share of girlfriends if you want to know." she smiled, clearly amused at his expression.

"I'm marrying a lesbian?" he asked, disgusted. He didn't mind gay couples, but there was no way in hell he was going to marry a girl that liked other girls. Cleary he couldn't compete with other women, not that he wanted to. "What was your whole deal about being pure just for me? Was that a lie?"

"No, that was the truth. But there's just so much you can do with a girl." She said, leaning against the wall.

"Clearly, you haven't experienced much. Anyways, what did you want to tell me about that stupid letter?" he asked, looking at his watch. He didn't want to be late for class.

"Your father wants to throw a party and announce our engagement this Saturday. He spoke it over with my parents and they agree." She said, handing him the letter. "Read it for yourself."

Draco took it and felt his blood boil.

**_My dearest Eloise, _**

**_I have been given permission by your father to throw an engagement party this Saturday, for you and my son Draco. I believe that the earlier we make this announcement, the better. Marriage is a commitment, a contract which is binding, thus the reason that I want to make this as soon as possible. _**

**_I will pick both of you guys up at 18:00 on the dot. The headmaster has granted me permission for this night. Do not be late. I am sure your father will send you an owl about this as well. _**

**_Regards,_**

**_L.M_**

**_P.S : Please inform my son of this, for I fear he will not see the letter in time. He is a busy student after all. _**

He scrunched up the letter in his hand, angry. Did he really have no say of this whatsoever? He looked up at Eloise who was staring back at him, smiling. Was he to spend the rest of his life with this girl?

"Why do you look so down?" she asked, reaching out for him.

"For once," he said, pushing her hand away. "Could you carry yourself like a lady? You make me sick. Have some dignity." He walked away, the joy from last night gone. All it took was a stupid letter from his dad to make his day.

* * *

><p>"Look girls, she looks like a run over rabbit!" squealed Lavender, pointing at something. The girls around her were giggling.<p>

"You mean a dead rabbit!" another girl stated and they all broke out laughing.

Draco made his way to the potions classroom, unfazed about what was going on outside. He pushed past some Gryffindors who were standing outside the classroom, laughing. He turned in the direction that they were looking at and saw Hermione walk quickly past them, her head down. Lavender was pointing at her, her face red from laughing.

Hermione rushed past him, not noticing he was there. He wanted to make sure she was okay but he couldn't. Not in public. Why were they taunting her? He turned back around and spotted Weasley standing not too far away from Lavender, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Why hadn't he done anything to help her?

He walked into the classroom, spying Hermione in the back of the class, a seat she had never occupied. Her face was hidden behind her curly brown hair, which had seemed to be more untamed than usual. He took his usual seat with Goyle, being careful not to get caught looking at her.

"Okay, let's begin this class, shall we?" Slughorn had appeared in the doorway, a thick book in hands. He was about to shut the door when Potter walked in, out of breath.

"Look who we have here. Tardiness Potter? At this point in your academic career, there should be no excuse for tardiness. But I am sure you have a very good reason to be late. You are such a bright student. Anyways, let's get this class going." Slughorn said calmly, watching Potter as he took a seat next to Hermione. "Good morning everyone!"

Draco tuned him out. All he could think about was the stupid engagement. He knew he was supposed to get married but it had never felt so real until this morning. _An engagement party. _

After last night he knew he didn't want to just be married to anyone. He wanted passion. He wanted to feel what he had felt with Hermione. A spark. A connection. A drive.

Eloise wasn't going to give him that. She would be an annoying wife, nagging about anything and everything, just as his mother was. His sister had been right to leave in the first place, a life like that wouldn't make anyone happy. It would drive them crazy.

An hour had gone by, and he hadn't felt it. They were supposed to be making some potion, and he found himself once again on autopilot. He was cutting up ingredients, mixing potions and having no real memory of doing so. All he knew was that he was supposed to be making some light yellow potion. His was purple. Harry though, was outdoing everyone, mixing everything exactly right, making Slughorn go crazy. Draco rolled his eyes and hesitated laughing when he saw Hermione glare at Harry.

"My, my, Draco that looks awful my boy." Slughorn said, looking down at his cauldron, hands in his robes. "I think you added too much black fern."

Draco felt his ears go hot. This stupid man was making him look bad. Before he could say anything in his defense, he heard an explosion from the back of the room and a few students screamed, backing away from their tables.

"Holy Merlin! What happened?" Slughorn asked, running over to the back of the classroom. Hermione and Harry were both drenched in an orange goo that had irrupted from Hermione's cauldron. Slughorn waved his wand and the potion simmered down, back into the pot. Hermione looked in the verge of tears. "Honey, this is all right. Mistakes happen. A potion of this magnitude is too difficult to obtain on your first try."

She wiped some of the goo off her face with her sleeve and watched as Slughorn examined Harry's Pot.

"I think we have a potions master in our mist. Great work Harry. Perfect as usual!" Slughorn stated, giving Harry an enormous grin. Lavender and some of her friends began to laugh under their hands. "Miss Granger, I suggest you study with Potter. The boy knows his stuff."

Hermione shut her book closed and roughly packed it in her bag. Without a word she picked up her things and ran out of the classroom.


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione splashed the cold water on her face, not caring if it drenched her tie. She looked up at her reflection, her puffy red eyes staring back at her. Her hair was tangled in a few spots, her curls having become looser, making her look like a lion.

Maybe Lavender was right in making fun of her… what girl in their right mind would step out like that? She turned away from her reflection, leaning against the sink. She took a deep breath, reaching for her scrunchie. Her hair would at least be a little more manageable up.

The door to the bathroom opened, and in walked a girl with a pointy nose and chin, her blond hair trailing behind her. From her uniform, Hermione could tell she was a Slytherin.

She looked away, not wanting to be bothered. Hermione ignored her as well and made to leave.

"Wait- I know you." The girl said. Hermione turned around, an eyebrow raised. Of course people knew who she was, they always associated her with Harry.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, confused.

"You're the girl Draco was looking at this morning." She said.

Hermione felt her face turn red. "Um, okay, that's none of my business."

She turned around to leave when she felt the girl's hand around her arm.

"I think I should introduce myself properly." The girl said, her grip tightening on her. "I'm Eloise. Draco's _fiancé."_

Hermione tried to keep her face straight, knowing that this girl wanted a reaction from her. This girl knew something.

"Well, like I said before," Hermione said, pushing the girl off her. "It's none of my _business._ Now please, if you will." She stormed out of the bathroom, hearing Eloise chuckle behind her.

Draco was getting married? To her?

Hermione decided it was best not to go back to class. She couldn't not after the embarrassment she had endured.

And now she didn't know why she felt so bothered to find out Draco was getting engaged.

_Maybe that girl is lying, _she thought as she made her way back to her room. She shook that idea out of her head. Why did she care?

"Hermione!"

She turned around, seeing Harry run up to her.

"Your bag." He said, panting. "Look Hermione, I'm sorry if I made you look bad- but I didn't mean it."

She tried to smile but in reality she wanted to smack him in the face. He had never been good at potions. Something else was up, but she didn't want to be bothered with it now. She forced a smile and nodded.

"I'm okay now, I just don't want to go back to class. Why are you here?" she asked, grabbing her bag. Harry fixed his glasses.

"Slughorn let me come after you. Since I did so well he figured it was okay for me to leave class early."

"He's letting you _leave_ early. I can't believe it!" she said, irritated. "Ugh, this is so not fair."

"What do you mean Hermione? You always got special privileges for being smarter than everyone else." Harry said, his eyebrows curving slightly. Hermione shook her head and walked into the portrait hole, annoyed.

Draco couldn't help but notice Hermione staring at him in the grand hall. Every time he looked over, she quickly looked away, blushing. She didn't smile or show any kind of emotion except her eyes seemed to not venture far away from him.

He took a bite of his pie and slowly looked up to see her, again, staring at him. He couldn't help but smile.

He decided that next time she looked at him he was going to give her a signal. He wanted to be with her again..

He looked up and their eyes met again. He took this chance and gave her a nod toward the door. She stood up straighter, looked around and got up from her seat, leaving the hall. He grinned, not believing his luck. He made to get up but felt an arm on his shoulder, pushing him down.

"Where are you going?" Eloise stood behind him, one her thinly shaped brows arched.

"None of your business." He said, irritated.

"Funny, because that's the same thing she said."

Draco looked up at her confused. "Who?"

"Your crush. That girl that just happened to walk out of the hall." Eloise said, and for the first time, Draco saw her frown, her face scrunching up, almost intimidating. She leaned down to him, her lips touching his ear. "I'm warning you Draco, I may come off as very friendly, but I do not appreciate my future husband fucking around with some mudblood."

He pushed her hand away and stormed past her, causing her to fall into a crowd of Slytherins eating dinner. He ran out, looking around for her. He saw her making her way toward the courtyard, which was dark now.

"What do you want?" she asked, as he approached her. They were standing under a large tree, it's leaves enclosing them.

"Don't act like you weren't looking at me, Granger." He said, feeling his body tense up as he got closer to her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Malfoy!" she hit him, but he pushed her against the trunk of the tree, his hands gripping her hips.

"Don't listen to those bitches that made fun of you today, they're angry they can't be as beautiful as you." He said, leaning down to kiss her again. She didn't resist, but he felt her pull him closer to her, her hands finding their way through his hair. He lifted her skirt, and unzipped his pants, wanting her. He knew it was going to be quick, but he didn't care, he wanted her. He spread her legs and waited for her to protest, but none came. He pushed into her, sliding her panties to the side. He felt her dig her nails onto his neck, and her muffled groans started to escape her as he rocked his body to and fro, loving the way she felt.

"Draco, something's happening!" she moaned and he felt a shock run up his spine. His toes curled and he felt his release, right in her. He heard Hermione whimper, finding her release as well. They stood there, both out of breath, their noses touching.


	11. Chapter 11

They both started to meet under that tree, having the most random conversations Hermione had ever had. She laughed, pushing into him with her shoulder. He pushed her back and again they were kissing as if they were two lovers on a date.

Hermione looked up at him, a weird appreciation starting to sink in. Malfoy wasn't the guy she thought he was, nor was he the enemy she believed she had. He was a boy that found her attractive, wanted her and pleased her in ways she never thought possible. She had done things with him she had never done with anyone before, and again she found herself on her knees, exploring his most private part. He groaned, keeping her head steady with his right hand as he felt her tongue on his tip. It was amazing. He pushed her onto her front, taking her from behind.

She yelled in ecstasy, and found his hand over mouth, keeping her from making any noise. She closed her eyes, wanting more, feeling as he banged against her bottom, her nails digging into the ground.

She had gone on birth control for this reason. She didn't understand why her body craved his touch so bad, and she didn't want to worry about getting pregnant. She loved skin to skin contact, and she especially loved it when he found his release inside her.

With one last thrust she felt herself come alive and she collapsed onto the floor, Malfoy coming behind her. She panted, knowing that this was only the start of their long night together, but, as did every other night, guilt popped up in her chest.

His face appeared in her mind. His corny side smile, his long red hair falling over his eyes…

She often wondered if sex would have been different with Ron. She knew everything Malfoy did excited every cell in her body, but she always wondered. Ron and Lavender had made notion to show off their relationship in front of her and every time she had made a note to ignore them at all cost. At first it was hard, but now Malfoy became the distraction she needed. She always thought of him and their forbidden nights together every time Ron showed up. She wanted to make it a point to show Ron that he didn't have an effect on her and that he was pleased to do what he wish.

If only that was the truth.

She still found herself crying from guilt during her baths. She was using Malfoy for a distraction, and she missed Ron.

"I'm going to have to call it a short night," Malfoy whispered in her ear. "I have to see my father tomorrow about the whole engagement thing."

Hermione sat up, buttoning her shirt. " Are you really going to go through with it?"

Malfoy looked down, hesitating.

"You don't have to, you know." Hermione told him, moving his bangs to the side. He looked up at her surprised, his grey eyes sparkling.

"Do you want me to get engaged?" he asked. She was caught off guard. What exactly was he asking?

"If you don't want to I don't think it's right they force you." Hermione responded, trying to sound as if that was the only thing that mattered. _And of course love. You have to love the person you're marrying…_

"But do YOU want me to get married?" He asked sitting back.

"Why does it matter if I do or not? It's not my place to decide…" Hermione said, feeling a little annoyed.

"You're right. It's not." He said, catching her tone. He picked up his cloak, leaving without saying anything to her. She sat there, taken back.

What did he expect from her? Was she supposed to tell him that she didn't want him to get married? Of course she didn't want him to marry, but it wasn't for the reasons that he thought. She was being selfish. She wanted him to keep him by her side, her distraction from reality. She loved Ron… and that's who she would always love.

She finally got up, not noticing that her fingers had begun to go numb from the chilly night air. She tied her hair back, and wrapped the scarf tightly around her. She felt extra cold now that she was more alert.

"You're still here?"

She looked up, noticing Malfoy was walking back, his hands in his pocket. She grabbed her bag from the floor and nodded.

"Yeah, kind of lost track of time." She said.

"Hermione- about earlier-"

She shook her head. "It's okay, I-"

"No- I know you love Weasley. It'll always be him, but for a moment I thought it could have been me… you know? Maybe I was winning some small place in your heart. But I could see I was mistaken. I can take just having things be as they are. It's not like I can go against my duty now is it?" he looked up at her, a weak defeated smile playing on his lips. She felt the tears build up in her eyes, feeling like a worst human being.

He walked over to her and hugged her, and she wrapped her arms around him taking in his warmth. Despite of him knowing her truth, he was still willing to accept her.

"I'm curious- why is it Weasley of all people?" he asked, looking down at her. His nose was red.

"Well, if you must know, I always found him a bit charming. You're the first person I confess this to by the way." She said, hitting him on the arm playfully. "So you better not tell anyone."

"Ow, I won't." he said, rubbing his arm. She giggled and he took her hand, leading her back to the castle.

* * *

><p>Ron sat on the chair closest to the fire. Everyone was asleep, even Harry. He couldn't sleep, his insomnia hitting him bad the last few days. He took a sip of his tea and continued to skim over the pages of the daily prophet, bored.<p>

He heard the portrait door opened and he turned around, surprised anyone was up so late. He turned and spotted Hermione walking in, stopping once she spotted him. He thought she was going to say something but instead she unfastened her scarf and began walking toward the girls' dormitories.

"Where are you coming from?" he asked, upset she was out so late.

"Talking to me?" she asked, turning around.

"Yeh, who else would I be talking to?" he asked, getting up from his chair.

"I'm surprised you're speaking to me. Is it because your girlfriend isn't around?" she asked, crossing her arms. He could see she was irritated. He couldn't blame her though. He had stopped talking to her since the day he had found the hickies on her body. And lately, she had been ignoring him as well, which pissed him off even more. She was changing, right under his nose.

"Look, Hermione, I just wanted to know where you are coming from so late. I was worried." He said, mustering all his energy to remain calm. He knew he was loosing her, to whom, he wasn't sure. But something told him that Hermione was slipping from him.

"I was at the library-"

"The library's closed."

"Well then, the potions classroom-"

"Now I know you're lying…"

Hermione smirked, placing one hand on her hip. "Well then I guess you won't know where I was at then?"

Ron walked over to her, his anger rising. She stood her ground, looking up at him as he stood next to her.

"Are you seeing someone?" he asked, and saw her reaction change. He felt his heart jolt, afraid that he already knew the answer before she said anything.

"Maybe-"

He pushed her against the wall, holding her hands above her head with his hands and kissed her, feeling her kick back at him. He didn't stop and he saw that she had given up and kissed him back, their tongues finding each other. He broke free, both breathing shook her head and let her curly locks fall over her eyes, her knees giving out. If it weren't for Ron, she would have hit the floor.

"Hermione, Hermione what's wrong?" he asked. She ran away from him, tears streaming down her face. He caught her before she was able to make it to the stairs.

"Let me go," she sobbed. "Ron let me go!"

He took her into his arms and felt her tears fall against his shirt. He didn't know what to do, nor what he had done to make her shake like she was.

"Shhh, Hermione, I'm sorry-"

"No! Because of you I'm hurting someone. You want me now because I'm not yours to have. Well guess what? Someone does want me! Someone actually wants me for me." She said, breaking free from him. "Please just leave me alone. Let's pretend this didn't happen…"

Ron shook his head. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't choose you. I love you, Hermione."

She gasped, hearing those words for the first time and from him made her heart stop.


End file.
